“Our God is a God of
victories. The Almighty Lord is our escape from death ... He gives
strength and power to His people. Thanks be to God!” (Psalm 68:20,35).
These words turn our thoughts to the great words of Paul in 1
Corinthians 15:57 - “Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ.” This victory is the triumph of Christ, risen
from the dead. The risen Christ - our Saviour and Lord - gives us
victory over our greatest enemy - “death” (1 Corinthians 15:26). It is
Christ’s triumph over the devil - “Jesus took on flesh and blood. He did
this so that, by dying, He would destroy the one who had power over
death (that is, the devil)”; “The reason that the Son of God appeared
was to destroy what the devil does” (Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 3:8).
“At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem”, the keynote of the service was joyful thanksgiving. They gathered together “to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving” (Nehemiah 12:27). “On that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy” (Nehemiah 12:43). They sang “songs of praise and thanksgiving to God” (Nehemiah 12:46). This joyful thanksgiving is only a foretaste of the greater joy and thanksgiving of heaven: “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). In the city of God, “the glory of God” will be shining with everlasting brightness (Revelation 21:23). The Church of God will be “prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). The beautiful picture of the godly wife in Proverbs 31 gives us an outline of what God is seeking to do in His people. It is summarized in Proverbs 31:30: “A woman who fears the Lord is to be ...
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